SEALS, WHALES, AND DOLPHINS OF THE CLYDE SEA AREA. 193 



saw in June, 1899, two seals, probably this species, close to his 

 ship, when trawling between Pladda and the Ayrshire coast. He 

 hit one with a revolver shot, but it sank shortly after.] 



Observation. — P. hispida, Schreber. Ringed or Marbled Seal. 

 — Professor Sir William Turner gives particulars of frequent 

 finds of remains of this species in Scottish glacial clays, and 

 although none are from the Clyde, they have probably been over- 

 looked (17). 



Order : Cetacea. 

 Family : Balcenopteridae. 



4. [Balcenoptera musculus (Linn.). Common Rorqual or 

 Razorback. — Dr. John Walker, in his "Essays" (1808), states 

 that this species yearly frequents Loch Fyne during the herring 

 season, and this statement is repeated by other writers. No 

 captures are however known. Mr. Gray tells me that about the 

 year 1889 the Sound of Kilbrannan was frequented by a whale, 

 50 to 60 feet long, followed by two calves; the three were well 

 known to the fishermen, and often seen by him. Mr. F. Gordon 

 Pearcey also saw a whale, probably this species, 3J miles south 

 of Davaar Island, on 10th October, 1899.] 



Observation. — A post- tertiary deposit near the mouth of the 

 River Irvine bears the name of the Irvine Whale Beds (16). 

 Cetacean remains have been found there from 1790 onwards. A 

 skull, obtained in 1863, and another one and some ribs and 

 vertebrae, obtained in 1889, are in the Hunterian Museum. A 

 broken cranium, fomid in 1892, was at one time in the 

 Anatomical Museum, Edinburgh University, but is now in 

 the Museum at Kilmarnock. Sir William Turner thinks this 

 belongs to a Balcenoptera, but he cannot definitely state the 

 species (in lit., 17th July, 1900). 



5. B. rostrata, Fabr. Lesser Rorqual or Pike Whale. — On 

 7th August, 1897, the small steam whaler " Thrasher," when on 

 her trial trip, had the unusual experience, in such circumstances, 

 of putting her whaling gear into actual use. She harpooned 

 and killed a whale off Largs, and towed the carcase, which was 

 about 30 feet long, up to Greenock. It was offered for sale at 

 £5, and the lips found their way to Paisley Museum, where I 

 saw them. Their resemblance to an illustration in Sir William 



B 



